Quadruplex cycle.



No. 850,973. PATENTED APR. 23, 1907.

s. P SHAPER.

QUADRUPLEX CYCLE, APBLIOATION FILED M11212, 190?,

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PATENTBD Amrzs, 1907. S.P.SH-AFER. I QUADRUPLBX CYCLE. APPLICATION FILEDJANJZ, 1907.

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' S. P. SHAFER. QIIADRUPLEX CYCLE. vAPPLIOATION I'ILED JAN.12, 1907.

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- I/wzfiwg Sway/12072 1 Shafer STOUGHTON P. SHAFER, OF KANSAS CITY,MISSOURI.

QUADRUPLEX CYCLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 23, 1907.

Application filed January 12, 1907. Serial No. 351,923.

To all whom it may cncern:

Be it known that I, SroUenToN P. SI-IAFER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State ofMissouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inQuadruplex Cycles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in amusement devices, and consistsin the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of partshereinafter described, pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a side elevation of theinvention with a panorama forming part thereof in vertical section. Fig.2 is a plan view of the invention. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on lineIII III of Fig. 2 with the panorama removed. Fig. 4 is an irregularsectional plan view on line IV IV of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transversesection looking from below of the upper portion of a main frame and amain shaft forming part of the invention on line V V of Fig. 3. .Fig. 6is an inverted plan view of part of the gearing employed in carrying outmy invention with the main shaft in cross-section. Fig. 7 is a detailview of a portion of the driving mechanism employed in carrying out theinven tion. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a car forming part of theinvention.

In constructing my device I employ a stationary frame comprising aplatform 1, inclined standards 2 resting thereon, and a circular plate3, supported by the standards.

4 designates a stationary bevel gear-wheel fixed to plate 3.

5 designates a vertical main shaft j ournaled in platform 1 andgear-wheel 4. Said shaft is provided at its upper end with a flagstaff 6and at its lower end with a fixed bevel gear-wheel 7, which is driven bya pinion 8, fixed upon one end of a drive-shaft 9, ournaled in bearings10, and provided at its opposite end with a pulley 11, driven by pulley12 through the instrumentality of an endless belt 13. Pulley 12 ismounted upon the end of a suitable motor 14.

15 designates a rotatable skeleton frame fixed to the upper portion ofthe main shaft in order to rotate therewith, and comprises a hub- 16,fixed to shaft 5, a rim 17, and a plurality of radial arms 18,connecting the hub plctures.

and the rim. Said frame is provided with a number of depending bearings19, in which are journaled a plurality ofradial shafts 20, provided attheir inner ends with fixed bevel gear-wheels 21, which intermesh withthe stationary gear-wheel. Thus when the main shaft is rotatedgear-wheels 21 will roll around upon gear-wheel 4 and rotate theirshafts 20. The outer end of each shaft is provided with a pair ofcross-arms 22, having an outwardly-extending hub 23, adjustably fixed tothe shaft by a set-screw 24, so that each set of cross-arms may bearranged upon its shaft in the same relative position as its companion.The outer ends of each set of cross-arms are braced by tie-rods 25,which are tensioned with turnbuckles 26. Each set of cross-arms carriesa plurality of'annular tracks 27, radially arranged around the outer endof each shaft 20 and which revolve in a horizontal plane around shaft 5and a vertical plane around their respective shafts 20, thus travelingin two directions at the same time.

Suspended within each annular track is a car consisting of a bodyportion 28, standards 29, a canopy 30, and a hanger 31, which lat terconsists of a pair of diverging arms 32, having journaled groovedrollers 33 at their outer ends, arranged to travel upon the track. Saidrollers are arranged an equal distance on o posite sides of aperpendicular line intersecting the axis of the track, sothat the carwill maintain its proper position, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, when thetrack is revolving. The car is also provided at its bottom portion withan arm 34, carrying a journaled grooved roller 35, which prevents thecar from being swung outwardly by the centrifugal force exerted thereonin its circuit around shaft 5. Each car has a plurality of seats 36,adapted to accommodate four passengers, who may gain access theretothrough openings 37 when the car is in proximity to platform 1.

38 designates a canvas or other fabric adapted to contain a panorama,consisting either of one continuous picture or a series of Said canvasis arranged to travel upon a plurality of guide-rollers 39, arrangedequal distances apart and from shaft 5, said rollers being journaled. inblocks 40 and struts 41. The ends of the canvas are attached to tworollers 42 43, upon which the canvas is alternately wound. Said rollersare journaled in a frame 44 and rovided at their lower ends withbevel-whee s 45 46, respectively.

47 designates a bevel gear-wheel slidably mounted upon shaft 9 andcaused to turn therewith by a feather 50. Said gear-wheel has teeth atits opposite sides, so that it may alternately intermesh with and drivegear-wheels 45 46, it being shifted into engagement therewith by a lever48, fulcrumed upon a pin 49.

In practice the passengers are admitted to the outer portion of platform1 through an opening 51 in the panorama, and after the lowermost carshave been filled shafts 20 are intermittently turned to bring eachsucceeding car within easy reach of the remaining passengers. Shaft 5 isthen continuously rotated until the canvas is unwound from one of itsrollers and wound upon the other roller. As shaft 5 rotates the carswill, through the instrumentality of the intervening gearing, revolvearound shafts 20 in a vertical plane and around shaft 5 in a horizontalplane,

thus combining the movements of a ferris wheel and a merry-go-round. Therevolving annular tracks will also create the illusion that the cars arelooping the loop, which, combined with the movement of the panorama,will lead the passengers seated within the cars to imagine that they aretraveling in four directions at the same time.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In an apparatusof the character described, a rotary frame carrying a plurality ofdriven shafts, a plurality of annular tracks which simultaneously travelwith the frame and revolve around the shafts, and cars carried by saidtracks which latter rotate around the former.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, a horizontal rotary framecarrying a plurality of driven shafts, a plurality of annular trackswhich simultaneously travel with the frame and revolve around theshafts, and cars carried by said tracks each of which latter rotatesaround its respective car.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, a rotary frame carrying alurality of radial driven shafts, a plurality o' annular tracks whichsimultaneously travel with the frame and revolve around the shafts, andcars carried by said tracks, substantially as described.

4. In an a paratus of the character described, a she eton rotary framecarrying a plurality of driven shafts, a plurality of annular trackswhich simultaneously travel with the frame and revolve around theshafts, and cars carried by said tracks, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus of the character deof driven shafts, cross-arms fixedto said shafts, annular tracks fixed to said cross arms, and carssuspended within said tracks.

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a stationary frame, astationary bevel gear-wheel in the upper portion thereof, a mainvertical shaft journaled in said frame and gear-wheel, a horizontalframe fixed to the main shaft, radial shafts journaled in saidhorizontal frame, bevel gear-wheels fixed to the inner ends of saidradial shafts and intermeshing with the stationary gearwheel, annulartracks which simultaneously travel with the horizontal frame and revolvearound the radial shafts, and cars suspended within said tracks.

7. In an apparatus of the character described, a main vertical shaft, aradial shaft arranged to simultaneously rotate upon its own axis andrevolve around the main shaft, a plurality of annular tracks radiallyarranged around said radial shaft with which they travel, and carssuspended within said tracks.

8. In an apparatus of the character described, a stationary frameconsisting of a platform, standards, and a top plate supported by saidstandards, a bevel gear-wheel fixed to said top plate, a main shaftjournaled in the platform and the fixed gearavheel, a rotary frame fixedto the main shaft, radial shafts journaled therein, bevel gear-wheelsfixed to said radial shafts which intermesh with and revolve around thefixed gearwheel, a plurality of annular tracks which simultaneouslytravel with the rotary frame and revolve around the radial shafts, andcars suspended within said tracks.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, a plurality of rotaryshafts which revolve around a common axis, a plurality of annular trackscarried by said shafts, a car suspended within each track, a hangersupporting each car having diverging arms provided with rollers engagingits respective track, and an arm projecting from the bottom of the caralso provided with a roller engaging the track, substantially asdescribed.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with apanorama,

of a rotary frame carrying a plurality of driven shafts, a plurality ofannular tracks which simultaneously travel with the frame and revolvearound the shafts, and cars carried by said tracks which latter rotatearound the former.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with apanorama, of a main vertical shaft, a radial shaft arranged tosimultaneously rotate upon its own axis and revolve around the shaft, aplurality of annular tracks carried by said shafts, cars suspendedwithin said tracks,

scribed, a rotary frame carrying a plurality shafts, cars suspendedWithin said tracks, IO and means for driving the panorama and the mainshaft in reverse directions.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in the presence of twoWitnesses.

' STOUGHTON P. SHAFER.

and means for simultaneously operating the panorama and the main shaft,substantially as described.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination With apanorama, of a main vertical shaft, a radial shaft arranged tosimultaneously rotate upon its Witnesses: own axis and revolve aroundthe shaft, a F. G. FISCHER, plurality of annular tracks carried by saidM. COX.

